Lullabye
by JoaG
Summary: Season 10 Spoiler: A tag to Morpheus


As far as most missions went, Daniel had to admit this was one of the eerier ones. Sitting in an ages-old, dust-filled library, whose patrons had all perished in their sleep years ago, he couldn't help but think of all the houses filled with the decaying remains still laying where they'd slipped from sleep, into death.

Daniel forced his dry, unfocused eyes open and looked at the blurred writing before him. He was lucky; he had something to keep his mind occupied. That was, if he could keep his mind alert long enough to keep looking for clues as to whatever this sickness was and where Morgan might have hidden her... lab, for lack of a better word. Waves of exhaustion flowed over him and if he was feeling this tired, he couldn't imagine what the Med Team were experiencing.

He balanced his elbow on an open tome and leaned his chin against his folded hand, staring at the spidery writing and forced his eyes to focus. For a moment he was successful, then the words blurred into smudges once more. He sighed and shut his eyes tiredly, trying not to give into the temptation of rubbing them.

Immediately, he knew he'd made a mistake; he felt sleep not merely knocking at the edges but waiting to pounce. Daniel knew he needed to open his eyes, get up, breathe deeply, walk around a bit until the overwhelming need to sleep went away. But the lure was too great and he promised himself he'd just stay like this for a few seconds before walking back to the house they'd deemed as headquarters for some more stimulants.

"Daniel?"

He jerked awake, then swore softly, realizing he'd made a mistake and had dozed off. He fumbled for his radio, fingers stiff and uncoordinated, his heart racing at how close he'd come to giving in. He stood up and stretched. Fatigue and the infection were making him stiff and sore.

"Yeah, Sam. I'm here."

"Good. Just checking in."

Checking up on him, she meant. Which was a good thing, in his books. He realized he shouldn't be here alone. Ackerman might still be alive and Grimsby might still be walking and talking, if neither had been left alone. "You guys done?"

"Yes, it's safe to come back into the house." There was a hint of laughter in Sam's voice. Still, Daniel wasn't ashamed to say he'd lit out of the house the moment the autopsy paraphernalia had been ready. He'd gladly helped them set up what the SGC had sent but there was no way he was sitting around, even listening to the sounds of that procedure.

"Good. I'll be there in a few minutes." Daniel repressed a shudder, thinking of the gory task she and Reimer had just gone through, performing an autopsy on Ackerman. He just had another few paragraphs to get through before he finished the chapter he'd been reading. He could get that out of the way, pack up his notes and bring the work over to the house. That way he'd not only be closer to the drugs Carolyn had sent, but he'd have someone to watch his back.

He sat down again and picked up a pencil. He read what he'd written and added a few details. Infused with temporary energy, he turned to the book and quickly read the page.

The worst thing about this place was the quiet. Since Teal'c had pointed out that there were no birds, or other wildlife, for that matter, Daniel kept straining to listen for things that didn't exist. No bugs, no birds, no footsteps, no life anywhere nearby, except for his team. He found himself doing it again, listening for sounds of life, and when the wind blew a dried leaf across the dusty ground, he jumped. "Great, you're jumping at shadows now."

Decision made, Daniel grabbed the few books he hadn't read yet, folded his notes and stuck them into the books. He grabbed his pencil, shoved it into a pocket, turned off the lamps and began making his way back to Sam and Reimer.

A wave of dizziness struck him when he was halfway there and he staggered, then caught himself on a tree before he fell. He dropped one of the books but at the moment he couldn't care less. He simply hung on and waited for the spell to pass. Then the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He looked up and saw a familiar figure staring at him from across the street.

"Jack?"

Daniel let go of the tree and took a few shuffling steps towards his friend. Jack continued to stand there unmoving, staring, when suddenly his figure disappeared, only to be replaced by a signpost, the top of which was shining silver in the odd, gloomy light of day. Daniel stopped and blinked, confused. Seeing Jack like that reminded him how much he missed his friend, and what slim his chances were of ever seeing him again.

With a sigh, he turned his back on the signpost and continued on, stopping only to pick up the dropped book. Regret filled him, renewed him with energy, and his feet picked their way easily on the uneven ground. He could see the lights of the house shining brightly like a beacon and he quickly made his way back to his friends.

- - - - - -

Was it him, or was he feeling worse? Daniel looked up from the book he'd been reading and closed his eyes a moment. Micronaps were good; micronaps were his friend. Micronaps would—

"Ow." Daniel glared at Sam and the finger she'd just used to poke his chest with.

"You were sleeping."

"I wasn't. I was—"

"Sleeping," Reimer said in a tired voice.

Knowing at that very moment that if he didn't move, his eyes would shut and they might never open again. He stood and waved towards the back of the house, where the outhouse was. "I'm just going to—"

Sam nodded tiredly without glancing at him, while Reimer kept his eyes on his own notes. Daniel limped out of the house, used the facilities and stood there, head thrown back, and took several deep breaths. The air was stale and damp; it wasn't refreshing and didn't do much to wake him up. He decided to take a walk, stretch his legs. He reached for his radio.

"Sam, I'm going to do a perimeter check."

"Fine." Sam's voice was curt and Daniel knew she was just as tired as he was. And if he was this tired, he couldn't begin to imagine what Reimer was feeling. He hoped that Mitchell and Teal'c would be able to pull a magic rabbit out of a hole and find a cure. Because it didn't look like Sam and Reimer were going to find a solution anytime soon.

Daniel walked around aimlessly for a period of time. He was aware at one point of fighting a dizzy spell, leaning against the side of a house to stay upright because he was pretty damn sure that if he went down, he'd not be getting up again. He knew Sam and Reimer were keeping the SGC abreast of what was going on, and had sent soil samples through so that they could work on a solution on their end... but had they informed the SGC about the parasites?

He walked around some more and found himself in front of the Stargate. He thought they should know, and approached the DHD. He began dialing Earth, then frowned. Of course the SGC knew about the parasites, that was why they'd sent the samples through. He cancelled the dialing sequence, thinking how close he'd come to embarrassing himself.

He found himself entering the house, not remembering walking back from the Stargate. Reimer looked like he was half-dead already. Daniel leaned tiredly against the back of a chair. "Any progress?"

Reimer reached for a bottle and took some more pills. Daniel lowered his head, trying to stretch his neck as Sam began speaking. "We've been theorizing that when the parasite enters the bloodstream, it triggers the body's immune response and the production of serotonin, and it makes its way to the patient's brain, where it lodges and feeds."

"Feeds." Shocked, Daniel pulled the chair back and half collapsed on it. "On what?"

"Melatonin," Reimer stated. "Our analysis shows that the parasite we removed from Ackerman gorged itself on the stuff."

Daniel suddenly began to wonder whether those micronaps he'd indulged in might have actually caused the parasite in his brain to get bigger, faster. He pushed back the fear and panic and concentrated on their words. Still in a state of shock over what he'd just been told, Sam's words flowed over him as he fought to concentrate. It took immense effort to process what she was saying. The more she spoke, the more discouraged Daniel got. Their situation was beginning to look more and more hopeless.

Suddenly it all wasn't important anymore when Doctor Reimer collapsed and Sam yelled, "It's his heart."

- - - - - -

That was it. There was the key. Maybe if Daniel hadn't been so tired, he'd have found it sooner. He wrote the word Atlantis in his notes and underlined it, then made a short notation underneath so that whoever came for their bodies would know it was a clue. Of course it would be easier to walk back to the Stargate and report his findings, but he didn't think he'd even survive the short walk there.

Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel could see the useless bottles of stimulants littering the worktables. Their quest for alertness had led to Reimer's death; somehow they'd forgotten that these drugs could be deadly and they'd been popping them like candy. Still, he wanted desperately to twist the cover open and take a triple dose of the stuff. But even knowing they could just as easily be his death sentence, for some odd reason every time he tried to concentrate on his work, he could think of nothing but the stimulants and how much he needed them.

At times he'd forget the reason why they couldn't take any of the pills. He just knew they were bad; then he'd look into the room where Reimer's body lay and it would all come back. And still, despite the danger, he wanted the pills. He needed the pills with a desire that dredged up memories of the hated sarcophagus.

Shaking off the all-consuming lethargy, Daniel stared at the text containing the reference to Atlantis - not reading, the words no longer making sense no matter how many times he reviewed them. He was vaguely aware of Sam pacing the room in an effort to stay awake. It was harder now, so much harder, to stay awake. His brain was slow, the micronaps were coming faster and faster and they'd caught one another nodding off several times in the hours since Reimer's death.

He wondered what had happened to Teal'c and Mitchell. They'd been out of touch for so long that Daniel had lost hope, figuring they'd both given up the battle and were asleep somewhere underground. He gave a small snort that was meant to have been a laugh. He'd sent them out to explore a cave and instead, it would be their tomb. Strangely the thought seemed funny to him and he'd have laughed aloud if he'd had the energy.

The words blurred as Sam passed next to him. Then he saw her go down and instantly he was by her side, finding enough energy for her when only seconds ago it had seemed impossible for him to muster enough strength to keep his eyes open.

"I can't do it anymore." Her voice was weak.

Fear coursed through Daniel. Sam was giving up; Sam never gave up.

"You have to. You've got to hang in there. Just a little while longer." Fatigue fought with the fear and he realized that he'd used up the last of his energy in coming to Sam's aid. He lost his balance and slid backwards, his back resting against the wooden cabinet.

He fought to stay awake, saw Sam fighting the same battle and the realization in her eyes as she met his that this was probably goodbye.

He blinked, or rather, his eyes slid shut in a blink but remained closed. A voice spoke to him, coming from far. "Doctor Jackson, Colonel Carter, where's the rest of your team?"

Daniel didn't recognize the voice, but he did recognize the order. Eyes still closed, he answered, fighting to frame the words. "Reimer and Ackerman are dead. Teal'c and Mitchell went to the caves..." Hands touched him, lifted him from the floor from where he'd fallen, limbs too heavy to move on their own. Fighting nausea and dizziness, Daniel was no longer able to struggle as he was placed inside a sarcophagus. He had to trust Shyla; he needed to allow this to help his team. Trapped in the mines. Hands were surprising gentle as they supported his head and neck until he was lying flat inside the Goa'uld device.

He waited for the cover to slide shut but it only closed part way, giving him a clear view of his surroundings. Confused, Daniel looked around, seeing only the orange funerary clothes Shyla's fake Jaffa wore as they lifted him and the sarcophagus, and carried him out into the night. _I'm on display_, he thought, a little apprehensively. _I will be king; here, look at your king to be. He's brave enough to face a sarc straight on_. The people watched silently as he was carried past. All he heard was the muffled thud of the booted feet of Jaffa as they continued to file past the crowds.

He had to do this. He _could_ do this. He had to save his team, even though at the moment he couldn't exactly remember what he needed to save them from. He felt the sarcophagus begin to steal his soul and he gladly shut his eyes and gave in.

- - - - -

There was a hand on his groin. Fingers, warm and soft, were touching his penis. Daniel jerked awake and struggled, trying to push away the person who was fondling him. He met no resistance and he blinked at the familiar face of a nurse who was smiling down at him behind the faceplate of a hazmat suit.

"It's okay, Doctor Jackson." Thank goodness, she'd let go of him. "I'm just checking the catheter for infection. You're safe now and you're going to be fine."

The SGC. They were home. He'd slept, and he hadn't died. That had to be a good thing, right? So many questions rushed through his brain, then muddled together as the lure of sleep beckoned. One question remained at the fore, though. What had happened to his team? The last thing he remembered was being carried away in a sarcophagus. Jack? Sam? Teal'c? Mitchell? Were they even alive? They'd been enslaved in a mine... looking for Merlin's rival... forced to dig for the entrance to her hidden lab. Merlin, Shyla, something wasn't quite right and Daniel couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Fighting to keep his eyes opened as the blood pressure cuff against his bicep began to squeeze his arm painfully, Daniel stammered out one word. "Team?"

The nurse may have given him an answer. Whether or not she did no longer matter, because Daniel was asleep even as the word left his lips.

- - - - - -

"... _Melatonin levels have decreased considerably... serum's working_..."

Daniel turned onto his side, away from the drone of words.

- - - - - -

"... _Vast improvement... parasite starved... waking soon_..."

Daniel batted the hand that was trying to pull the blankets away from his neck, and buried his face in the pillow.

- - - - - -

"... _Complications due to the amount of stimulants they took. But they should be waking anytime—_"

Daniel opened crusted eyelids to glare at the person talking over his bed. He'd been aware of the voices for a while, pulling him from the comfort of sleep. The glare ended in a blink as he was surprised to see General Landry, Vala and Doctor Lam standing next to him.

"Um... hello." He raised a hand to rub at his eyes and was surprised to see he was hooked up to an IV. There were more wires leading to his groin and he realized uncomfortably that he was hooked up for liquids coming in _and_ going out. He stretched carefully, stiff muscles protesting slightly at the motion.

"He's awake." Vala bounced up and down on her feet, making Daniel dizzy. "It's about time you woke up. Do you have any idea how boring it's been around here with all of you lazing about?"

"Good morning, Daniel," Carolyn said, smiling at him as took a step forward and to the side, effectively blocking Vala. "How are you feeling?"

"He's feeling awake, that's what he's feeling. Tell her, Daniel." Vala stuck her head over Carolyn's shoulder. "You're feeling fine and you're awake now."

Without a backward glance, Carolyn pulled the curtain closed between herself and Vala, separating his bed from the rest of the ward.

"I'll be right out here, Daniel," Vala called out in an over-enthusiastic sotto voce as General Landry stepped from behind the curtain to join the doctor. "Ready to tell you about all the atrocities these people have put me through in the name of a test. That'll curl your chest hair and really help keep you awake." Vala emphasized the last word. There were a couple of footsteps and a chair squeaked loudly.

"How are you feeling?" Carolyn repeated once there was silence from behind the curtain.

"Tired. Confused. I don't remember getting here." Daniel yawned heavily, feeling lethargic as he tried to make himself comfortable in the bed. He could still hear Vala mumbling to herself. Or was she still talking to him?

"We sent in a hazmat team to bring your team out." Landry fidgeted, seeming uncomfortable talking to Daniel. Unlike Hammond, who always seemed to have the right thing to say to someone whenever he visited the infirmary.

"My team—?" Daniel looked around but couldn't see past the edges of the privacy curtain.

"They're fine. Teal'c's awake and out of bed. The other three are still asleep."

It took Daniel several long moments before he figured out why Landry's words had sounded wrong.

"Three?"

"Mitchell, Carter and Grimsby."

Daniel sighed with relief. One of the Med Team had made it after all. He yawned again and apologized when he managed to close his jaw.

"I'll let you get some rest in a moment. I just need to check you out first." Carolyn gave her father a pointed look. The general actually looked a little discomfited for a moment, then quickly recovered.

"Glad to see you're awake, Doctor Jackson. Hopefully you'll be up and about shortly." He left quickly. There were a few whispered words from behind the curtain and a loud squawk from Vala, then two sets of footsteps receded as they left the ward.

"How?" Daniel squinted up at Carolyn.

"Teal'c captured a creature that was immune to the parasite and through our analysis of it and Doctor Reimer's notes, we were able to..." Daniel didn't quite absorb everything Carolyn said as she quickly examined him. He nodded in the right areas, and then answered her questions when she interspersed those in her explanation. By the time she finished, he was surprisingly feeling a little more alert than when he'd woken and was thoroughly relieved when she gave instructions to have the Foley catheter removed. A nurse soon came in and took care of that little embarrassing matter.

Another brought him some sugar-laced oatmeal and juice because he'd admitted to being hungry. He also asked for a shower and was looking forward to one, but by the time he'd swallowed a few bites of oatmeal, the all too-familiar sensation of sleep began pulling him in. He forced a few more spoonfuls, the spoon becoming heavier and heavier each time. Finally he gave in to the all-encompassing sensation. He closed his eyes, vaguely aware of the nurse taking the tray from him. Just as he drifted off, he thought he heard someone say, "Welcome back, Colonel Carter," and Sam's sleepy voice, asking, "Daniel? Cam? Teal'c?"

- - - - - -

His right hand was bound securely to something. Without opening his eyes, Daniel slowly moved his left hand and felt the tape that trussed him to the bed. He peeled back the strip and pulled the fastening from his hand. He felt warm blood begin to drip down the back of his hand and he pressed it against the mattress. He waited, listening intently for any sign that he had been made.

He was wearing a plain white robe. When he deemed it safe, he grabbed his royal robes, neatly folded on a chair nearby, and quickly donned them. His body was damp with sweat and he shivered. It was chilly in this part of the castle as opposed to the mines; he didn't recall Shyla ever mentioning dungeons.

He needed to find Shyla and his team. There must have been a rebellion, it was the only reason why he was now a prisoner. Jack and the others could be in danger. Moving swiftly despite the shakiness of his legs, Daniel glanced at the other prisoners in the dungeon tied to a series of cots. Time to free them later; they were safe here for now.

He glanced out into the corridor. Many of Shyla's people were wandering around. There was no way Daniel could sneak into the mines without anyone seeing him. Then again, her people had loved him. Maybe the best attack was one of being out in plain sight. Straightening, Daniel passed a hand down the front of his robes to erase any folds or creases, and began walking as if he belonged.

He reached an elevator and realized he didn't have a key card to activate it. His luck held, however, as the doors opened and one of his subjects stepped out. The man looked at him with a sidelong glance, but said nothing. Daniel merely nodded regally as he stepped into the elevator.

When he raised a hand to press the floor he wanted, where he knew Jack would be, he was surprised to see the back of his hand was smeared with blood. Trying to ignore the stares of the two royal Jaffa standing at the back of the elevator, Daniel could feel the sweat trickle down his back. It wasn't nerves; he'd done these rescue attempts before and he rarely perspired beforehand. Racing heart, dry mouth and shaky hands and legs, though, were a normal reaction for him as adrenaline and anticipation set in, which, at the moment he had in spades. Daniel turned his hand against his pants, hiding the sight of blood from the Jaffa.

Someone shifted; the sound of their boots loud in the quiet of the elevator car. Daniel glanced at his feet and was surprised to see that they were bare. He realized he hadn't searched for his boots. No matter; when all of this was over, he promised himself a bath. A long soak in a hot tub. A massage from one of Shyla's people; a glass of wine, some food—his stomach rumbled and whatever contents that was in it churned, burning with acid. Okay, scrap the food idea for now.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Daniel squinted at the numbers and realized this was his floor. He stepped out, feet slapping loudly on the cement floor.

He made his way unerringly. He'd only been down here once, to tell Jack and the others that he was working on a solution to get them out of the mines, but everything seemed eerily familiar. His memories were jumbled; he recalled anger on Jack's part when he'd told him to be patient, words between them and anger on his part but he couldn't quite remember the how and why. But he was here now, to rescue them, to get them home. To bring them all home.

He stopped in front of the door which led to Jack. There was a small glass pane with no lights visible beyond the glass. Slowly, he reached for the handle and pushed. The door was unlocked and it opened easily.

"Jack?" Daniel glanced inside the dark, empty office. Confused, he took a few unsteady steps and leaned his hands down, steadying himself against the bare desk. Jack wasn't here. Jack hadn't been here in a long time. He lowered his head, feeling exhaustion reach down and take hold of him. He took a shivering breath, his arms shaking as they held his weight.

"Daniel?"

"Huh?" He turned in surprise, then tripped over his feet and fell against the desk. Teal'c was there, catching him before he landed on the floor. Then Carolyn Lam was helping him into Jack's old chair. The walls of the mines disappeared, replaced by the walls of the SGC.

"Do you know where you are?" Daniel nodded as Carolyn reached for his hand and took his pulse.

"Jack's old office. I think I might have been... sleepwalking?"

"It's possible, but not likely. I'd attribute this more to an hallucination, probably brought on by the withdrawal of the stimulants you took and the after-effects of the melatonin still in your system."

When she let go of Daniel's hand, he raised both and rubbed at his face, feeling extremely foolish. "I thought I was..." Daniel peeked at Teal'c through his fingers. "On P3R 636."

"Pyrus. Our capture at the mines."

Nodding at Teal'c, Daniel pressed his palms over his cheeks and rubbed hard. "The mines. For some odd reason I thought I'd been in the sarcophagus and..." He gave Carolyn a quick glance, not sure how much of his history she was aware of. Nervously, he changed the subject. "Um, how'd you..." He made a waving motion with his hand. "... know how to... find me?"

"The infirmary received a couple of calls asking if we had a straying archaeologist," she replied with a quirky smile.

Daniel rolled his eyes, wondering how this little episode was going to rank in Mitchell's books when he heard about it. He was getting teased enough as it was; between him and Vala—they sure didn't need more fodder for their ammunition.

"Seriously, though. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been sleepwalking and just woke up in my old team leader's office." He squinted at Carolyn, who was leaning against the desk. "You did say the effects of the parasite should be wearing off by now, right?"

"So you're still feeling tired and drowsy?"

Daniel nodded and raised a hand at arm level, which shook visibly. "A little shaky, obviously. And embarrassed."

"It'll be a few more hours before your body begins to feel normal. The best thing for you right now is to sleep it off." She looked towards the door and motioned to someone. A moment later, a nurse pushed a wheelchair into the office.

"Carolyn, I don't—"

"You're certainly in no shape to walk back to the—"

"I walked here, didn't I?"

"And I won't have you passing out on the way back to the—"

"It's better when I'm moving. When I stop, I can't—" Daniel rubbed at his face again, feeling slick, damp sweat pooling on his face. "I can't think and I'm doing nothing but fighting to stay awake. I can walk back."

He got to his feet, holding onto the desk until he was sure of his balance. The back of his scrubs were soaked with sweat, and stuck to his skin. He was aware of Teal'c's quiet presence beside him as he took slow, measured steps into the hallway. Carolyn followed silently behind him and the nurse with the chair, behind her. Daniel couldn't help thinking what an odd procession they made and it would probably have appeared less comical if he had gotten into the chair in the first place. But that would have meant admitting he was too sick to walk. And he wasn't sick. He was tired. Exhausted, but not sick.

But by the time he made it down the corridor, the thought of the chair was mighty appealing. His feet were freezing and the sweat was causing goose bumps along his skin. He held back a shiver as someone brushed past him, the slight breeze feeling several degrees cooler against his damp clothes.

They turned the corner and the corridor shifted. Daniel grabbed for the wall and held on as the hallway undulated before him. Suddenly, Teal'c was holding his arm and supporting him. He was shaking uncontrollably and there was no questions asked, nor did he protest, when Teal'c guided his ass into the wheelchair.

Gratefully, he accepted the blanket Carolyn wrapped around him, and he gave an appreciatively sigh as she took care to cover his feet as she raised them into the metal supports. Teal'c fiddled with the edges of the blanket, making sure they overlapped across his shoulders. When Carolyn straightened, she put a hand to Daniel's shoulder and squeezed lightly before giving the order for the nurse to carry on.

Head down, fingers clasping the edges of the blanket, Daniel stared at his knees as his peripheral vision noted the movement of cement walls and floor, until they stopped at the elevator. Teal'c's legs moved into his range of vision and he felt compelled to look up at him. He gave Teal'c a quick, fleeting glance, saw nothing but concern, so he gave him a second, longer glance. His muddled brain recalled that Teal'c had been affected by the parasite also.

"You doing okay?" Daniel managed to speak without stuttering. By clenching his jaw, he was able to prevent his teeth from chattering together.

"I am. The Tretonin has helped considerably in my recovery, although I still fatigue easily."

"Good. I'm glad you're okay."

"As you will be soon, DanielJackson. You simply require more rest."

"Yeah. Rest." Daniel laughed, and even as he did, he had no idea what he thought was funny. "Just as long as I don't hallucinate, I'll be fine." More laughter and even though he clamped his jaw tightly closed, the laughter bubbled up into his chest.

Daniel thrust his hand out and clenched his right fist tightly against the armrest of the chair as they wheeled him into the elevator. Soft sniggers still erupted from him and he slammed his fist against the armrest in frustration. He went to raise his hand again when fingers wrapped themselves around his taut fist.

"It's okay, Daniel," Carolyn said softly. "Just let it out. It's just your body reacting. It could just as easily be anger or tears."

"It's not funny. Nothing about this is funny." The laughter was gone; anger and frustration had replaced it, momentarily chasing his exhaustion away.

"No, it isn't. But you'll have a different perspective once you sleep it off."

The shakes were easing and he was beginning to feel warm again. He released the death grip he'd had on the blanket, allowing it to fall open slightly. He realized they were moving again; he hadn't noticed them getting out of the elevator. He remained quiet as he entered the infirmary, glancing nervously at his teammates as he was pushed past their beds. He was relieved to see that Vala was nowhere in sight.

"Enjoy your morning stroll?"

Mitchell had rolled over onto his side and was watching sleepily as Daniel was manoeuvred between their two beds. Someone had put fresh sheets on his bed and it looked inviting. He stood, the blanket falling from him into the chair, and he took two shaky steps from chair to bed and lay down with a sigh.

"I need to replace your IV, Daniel." Carolyn quickly swabbed his hand and inserted the needle, then taped it into place. Then using the spent wipe, she cleaned the bloody smears from his other hand.

"Hey, look, Teal'c's got the band back together again," Mitchell intoned as Teal'c pulled up a chair between their two beds. "Send out the trumpets, break out the music and—"

Daniel turned to look sleepily at Mitchell. "The only music I want to hear right now is a lullaby." Daniel almost groaned when Mitchell got a twinkle in his eyes and began singing the words to the song.

Daniel closed his eyes, waiting patiently for Mitchell to stop. He heard Carolyn laughing softly as she fiddled with something next to the bed.

"Oh goodie, you're awake. What'd I miss?"

Daniel tensed slightly when he heard Vala's voice, then pressed his lips together to hide a smile when she added, "What _is_ that noise?"

Daniel turned onto his side and sighed contentedly. _Now_, the gang was all here. SG-1 had evolved into a strange mix of people, Daniel admitted with a contented sigh as he got comfortable. The five of them may each march to the beat of a different drummer but damn, they made beautiful music together.


End file.
